Lockstitch knit fabric



may 5,. 1936.

w. MENDEI. E-r AL LOCKSTITCH KNIT FABRIC Filed oct. 14, 193s sheets-sheet 1 //Y Vf /V 7 0/? S M//Lz/AM MENDEL AND L/osEH-f 7/'ro/vE,

May 5, 1936. w. MENDEL Er AL 2,040,058

LOCKSTITCH KNIT FABRIC Filed Oct. 14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/vo dasffw 777'0/v5,

E @ma Patented May 5, .1936

UNITED STATES PATE-NTl OFFICE LOCKSTITCH KNIT FABRIC tion of New Jersey Application octoberA 14, 1933, serial No. 093,530

9 Claims.

Our invention relates to fabric which may be knit upon ya :dat machine of the Raschel type, and is advantageously employed in the manufacture of girdles and other corseting garments.

As hereinafter described, a fabric in accordance with our invention is elastic in every direction and forms a tube of substantially semicylindrical sections, the front half thereof, with respect to the body of the wearer, being less elastic than the rear half thereof, so that garments made of such tubing permit the wearer to bend freely without the garment slipping up and down the body of the wearer, as is characteristic f corseting garments of the prior art formed of elastic fabric of ordinary character.

As hereinafter described, the two halves of the fabric are each knit at but are sutured together at their edges to form a unitary tube having the characteristics aforesaid and the further characteristic that it is entirely formed of' threads which extend longitudinally in the tube parallel with its axis except for the lateral looping which forms the lockstitches. In other words, there are no threads which extend circumferentiallywith respect to the tube, as in circular knitting.' Such lockstitch fabric has the advantage that the threads will not run from any hole made in the fabric. As hereinafter described, the two halves of the tube of such fabric may be not only of respectively different elasticity but o f different patterns of stitches. For instance, the front may be of a more ornamental character than the As hereinafter described, our improved fabric is composed of threads which are inelastic and elastic per se. Such component threads may be of any kind, but we prefer to use elasticthreads which have a core of material which is elastic per se,`s11lral1y wrapped with inelastic thread. For instancfsuch cores may be strips, of rectangular cross section, cut from a sheet of vulcanized rubber. or may be formed of extruded latex, vulcanized or otherwise congealed in cylindrlcal form.

Our invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more denitely specified.

In said drawings, Fig. I is a perspective view of a portionl of a tubular fabric embodying our invention.

Fig. 1I is a perspective view of a corseting ygarment formed of such fabric, as distended by' the form of the wearer.

Fig. III is a diagram showing a preferable patborder of the fabric indicated at IV in Fig. II. 5

Referring to Fig. I, the tubular fabric l is formed of opposite primarily fiat panels 2 and 3 A of substantially equal width, integrally connected by knit stitches at their longitudinal edges 4 and 5. 4

Said fabric is knit substantially flat, as indicated at the right hand end o f Fig. I, but the latter shows the fabric4 partly distended at the left hand end to display the tubular form thereof and the knit sutures at 4 and 5, which are at diametrically opposite sides of the tube l and parallel with its axis.

Fig. II shows a corseting garment formed of such fabric I; wherein the front panel 2 is connected with vthe rear portion 3 .by the sutures 4 and 5.

Sadfabric I is elastic in every direction, each of the panels 2 and 3 being elastic both longitudinally and transversely in the fabric, but the fabric in the panel 3, forming the back of the garment shown in Fig. II, is preferably more yielding than the fabric 2 at the front of the garment, in order to allow bending movements of the body of the wearer at the waistand hips without uncomfortable vertical movement of the top and bottom edges of the garment. The front panel' 2 being less yielding, affords desirable abdominall constriction-and support.

Said garment may be provided with bands or borders 'l and 8, as indicated respectively at the top and bottom thereof. and the latter is preferably inelastic vertically.

'I'he flat knitting machine upon which said fabric is formed includes a front needle bar, a back needle bar, and three guide bars for the threads. Said two needle bars support respective banks or series of needles in parllel vertical planes about one-half inch apart. The needles of the opposite series are alternately disposed, the needles of each series being opposite spaces between needles of the other series, but preferably with the end needles of both series directly opposite eachother; that is to say, the end needle at one end of one series is set full gage, and the end needle at the opposite end of the other series is set full gage. The needles have no motion except vertical reciprocation; each series being up when the other is down. Saidthree guide bars carry respective series of individual threads. Each o F said guide bars has motion transversely with respect to the planes of the needles and longitudinally with respect to said planes; the longitudinal movement of said bars being variable by the arrangement of high links on pattern chains at the ends of the bars, which chains are shifted in deflnite relation with the movements of the thread guide bars transversely with respect to the needle bars, so that each guide is moved in a rectangular path to wrap the threads around the selected needles, two sides of each path being transverse to the planes of the needle bars and of extent greater than the distance between the respective series of needles in said two bars, and two sides of each path being parallel with the planes of the needle bars and variable in extent in accordance with the adjustment of said pattern chains, to predetermine any desired cooperative relation of the thread guides with the needles. Each guide thus carries its individual thread between the paths of vertical reciprocation of adjoining needles of both series, then around the needles which are up and within the paths of the respective guides, so that only those needles which are thus presented in cooperative relation with respective guides are engaged by the threads of those guides during the movement of the guides in their rectangular path. Consequently, Whether a thread is knitted into the fabric or not, at any one stroke of either needle bar, depends entirely upon the location of the individual threads with respect to the length of the bars and the movement of the bars predetermined by the variable adjustment of their operating means. Therefore, not only the designs of fabric shown herein, but many others, may be made with such mechanism. For instance, with a single guide bar having guides equal in number to the needles in both needlebars, alternate guides may be provided with threads which are to be included in the respectively opposite fabrics formed on the respectively opposite needle bars, one alternate series of such guides cooperating with but one needle bar and the other alternate series of such guides cooperating with only the .other needle bar; thus forming separate fabrics with threads carried by a single bar. Said fabric is conveniently formed of three different kinds of thread, to wit, mercerized cotton thread I3, lightweight elastic thread I4, and heavyweight elastic threads I5 and I6 respectively directed to the needles by the guide bars; so as to form the pattern of threads indicated in Fig. III. The two series of mercerized cotton threads I3 for respective embodiment in the respective panels 2 and 3 are carried in respectively alternate individual guides on but one guide bar but are separately included in said two panels, I2 and 3, because one of said alternateseries cooperates only with one needle bar, whereas, the other alternate series cooperates only with the other needle bar. That guide bar also carries two single heavy elastic suture threads I6 at respectively opposite ends thereof, to form the respective sutures 4 and 5, by alternate engagement with the end needlespf the two series. The light weight elastic threads -I4 are carried by the second guide bar to engage only the one series oi.' needles which form the panel 2, and the heavy weight elastic threads I5 are carried by the third guide bar to engage only the other series of needles which form the panel 3. As shown in Fig. III, the suture 4 is formed by a single heavy elastic thread I6 which is caused to alternately encircle the single. end needles of the two needle bars. The suture 5 is similarly formed, at the opposite side of the fabric, as indicated in Figs. I and II, by a single heavy elastic thread I6 which is caused to alternately encircle the single end needles of thetwo needle bars at the end of the latter remote from that where the suture 4 is formed. In other words, where the two opposite walls of the fabric 2 and 3 are being knit in separate relation, the guides for the threads I3, I4, and I5 do not carry the same thread from one bank of needles to the other, but where the sutures are formed one of the thread guide bars is operative to carry the same single thread I6 from one bank to the other so as to connect the two Walls of the fabric at their opposite edges, by the sutures 4 and 5. However, any other patterns may be employed in the panels 2 and 3, provided that they are such that the fabric is elastic both longitudinally and transversely.

Said bands or borders 'I and 8 may be formed of any suitable material and applied in any convenient manner to the fabric shown in Figs. I and III. However, in Fig. IV, we have shown a pattern of threads adapted to forni the band or border 8 so that it is elastic circumferentially with respect to the body of the wearer but inelastic vertically so as to afford a substantial support for garter hangers, etc. It may be observed that in Fig. IV the heavyweight elastic threads Il extend longitudinally, i. e., circumferentially in the border, and that that fabric is rendered inelastic 4 1. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seam ,less'tube' of uniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of two primarily iiatv panels, each of uniform width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally connecting them at their longitudinal edges, at dlametrically opposite sides of said tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and the other the front, of said tube; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said tube, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in said fabric from any hole made therein; eachv of said panels including threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic, but the entire tube being elastic in every f direction; the front panel being more resistant to stretch than the rear panel.

2. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seamless tube ofuniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of two primarily flat panels, each of uniform width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally connecting them at their longitudinal edges, at diametrically opposite sides of said tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and the other the front, of said'tube; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said tube, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in said fabric from any hole made therein; each of said panels including threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic, but the entire tube being elastic in every direction.

3. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seamless tube of uniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of two primarily at' panels, each of uniform width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally conn necting them at their longitudinal edges, at diametrically opposite sides of said tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and the other the front, of said tube; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said tube, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in said fabric from any hole made therein; each of said panels including threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic, but the front panel being more resistant to stretch than the rear panel.

4. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seam- Y lless tube of uniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of two primarily fiat panels, each of uniform Width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally connecting them at their longitudinal edges, at diametrically opposite sides of said tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and the other the front, of said tube; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said tube, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for prepanels forms the back, and the other the front, of

said garment; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said garment, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in said garment from any hole made therein; said tube vincluding threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic, but said tube being elastic in every direction; the front panel being more resistant to stretch than the rear panel.

6. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seamless tubular elastic corseting garment of uniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of ltwo primarily flat panels, each of uniform width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally connecting them at their longitudinal edges, at diametrically opposite sides of said tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and theother the front, of said garment; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said garment, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in said garment from any hole made therein; each of said panels including threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic, but the front panel being more resistant to stretch than the rear panel.

'7. In a lockstitch knit fabric, forming a seamless tubular elastic corseting garment of uniform diameter throughout its length; the combination of two primarily flat panels, veach of uniform Width throughout its length, and including knit stitches integrally connecting them at their longitudinal edges, at diametrically opposite sides of said-tube and parallel with its axis; so that one of said panels forms the back, and the other the front, of said garment; each of said panels formed entirely of threads which extend longitudinally in said garment, but have lateral interloops, which form the lockstitches, for preventing any run in lsaid garment from any hole made therein; each of said panels including threads which are respectively elastic and inelastic.

8. A garment as in claim 7, having at one end thereof a border which is elastic circumferentially but inelastic axially with respect to the fabric tube.

9. A garment as in claim 7, having a border at each end thereof which is elastic circumferentially with respect to the fabric tube.

WILLIAM MENDEL. JOSEPH TITONE. 

